IMDb RATING
6.7/10
2.4K
YOUR RATING
Fictionalized story of British aerospace engineers solving the problem of supersonic flight.Fictionalized story of British aerospace engineers solving the problem of supersonic flight.Fictionalized story of British aerospace engineers solving the problem of supersonic flight.
- Won 1 Oscar
- 9 wins & 5 nominations total
Rodney Goodall
- Little Boy
- (uncredited)
Donald Harron
- ATA Officer
- (uncredited)
Vincent Holman
- Factor
- (uncredited)
Jolyon Jackley
- Susan's Baby
- (uncredited)
Douglas Muir
- Controller
- (uncredited)
Leslie Phillips
- Controller
- (uncredited)
Anthony Snell
- Peter Makepeace
- (uncredited)
Sally-Jane Spencer
- Daughter of Philip
- (uncredited)
Robert Brooks Turner
- Test Bed Operator
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe flying sequences under the direction of Anthony Squire, were based at the Vickers aerodrome at Chilbolton near Nether Wallop in Hampshire. Squire managed to secure one of the last airworthy Avro Lancaster bombers for the task. The cameramen were positioned in the front and rear turrets while Squire conducted proceedings from the central astrodome. The Lancaster was replaced by a Vickers Valetta after all, but Squire had fallen asleep due to an oxygen supply failure. Luckily as he recalled, "They all woke up on the way down, like people in a fairy wood, but I didn't bother with the Lancaster again."
- GoofsIn the observatory, John tells Tony that the Andromeda galaxy is 700,000 light-years away; The best estimate since 1940 (when the known Cepheid variables were separated in two types by Baade) is 2.54 million light-years, BUT: this corresponds to 778,000 parsecs! So, it seems that parsecs and light years were somehow switched here in the movie.
- Quotes
Susan Garthwaite: [regarding an image of the surface of the moon, displayed via JR's telescope] What's that?
John Ridgefield: It's the moon.
Susan Garthwaite: I never knew it could look so unfriendly.
John Ridgefield: It's an unfriendly universe.
Susan Garthwaite: Do you believe that?
John Ridgefield: Unfriendly only because it's unconscious of our existence.
- Crazy creditsIn the opening credits, immediately after the human actors, are listed four British aircraft: The de Havilland COMET The Vickers-Supermarine ATTACKER The de Havilland VAMPIRE 113 The Vickers-Supermarine SWIFT Rolls-Royce 'Avon' Engine
- ConnectionsFeatured in Jet! When Britain Ruled the Skies: Military Marvels (2012)
- SoundtracksWith Sword and Lance
(uncredited)
Music by Hermann Starke
Featured review
Excellent film, technically ludicrous
This is an outstanding film about the human cost of progress and obsession. Richardson is great as the aviation mogul willing to pay the necessary price for reaching new realms and new worlds. Historically and technically, the film is so out in left field as to be almost laughable (the plot point about control reversal is apparently the result of a writer hearing a valid aeronautical term and misunderstanding it completely) but in the end, the issues raised and the fine performances make Sound Barrier a winner. The aerial photography is outstanding, and there is one beautifully composed shot from below the nose of the Comet airliner that perfectly emphasizes the sleek lines of that most beautiful jet.
helpful•324
- Jim A
- Nov 6, 2003
- How long is The Sound Barrier?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Breaking the Sound Barrier
- Filming locations
- Chilbolton Aerodrome, Nether Wallop, Hampshire, England, UK(flying sequences)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- £250,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 49 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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